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shadowkatLost my entire post. Dang-it.
So, instead of rewriting it. Go here to read the article from the Metro on Rupert Murdoch scandal slowly making its way across the pond to the US. The skinny? CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Journalism) has requested that the US Congress investigate Murdoch's News Corp. to determine if they hacked into American politicians and private citizens emails. Also the US Department of Justice is considering using the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act to launch an investigation of allegations that News Corp. routinely paid police officers bribes for information - this according to The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia). And not to be outdone, Murdoch's stock took a dive on the NY Stock Exchange.
Hot stinky day. And I'm noticing an undercurrent of irritation throbbing through me, either caused by the weather (I'm admittedly a human weather vane) or hormones (annoying things hormones get me into all sorts of trouble be much happier without the bloody things, then again maybe not). Also, an observation? Is it just me or is life or rather all forms of human conversation thwart with emotional landmines? I can get into trouble for just voicing my opinions on movies and television writers and characters - doesn't matter where. Which may explain why I seldom discuss such things offline.
Heaven forbid I admit to liking a show like Buffy offline. Or *cough* Vamp Diaries (I did once and ran into a very uncomfortable discussion over the phone with the Risk Management Manager at work of how Bones and House were more intelligent and better written than Vamp Diaries - they aren't, I know I've watched all three, about the same actually). The Wire - is fairly safe. It's mainstream and critically acclaimed. Farscape? No one has heard of it , except people who loved it or people who made fun of it, sort of helps to know which group your about to run smack dab into before making a comment. True Blood? Need to be careful - fans are split into three groups, those who love the tv series and don't think it's a hilarious comedy, those who loved the books, and those who think it's a great parody/satire of the books and entire trope. In short? See Farscape. Doctor Who and/or Torchwood? See Farscape. Books? Same problem - if I were reading things like Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking or something contemporary literary - or non-fictional literary - like The Midmeasure of a Man, I'd be fine. But I'm reading a YA fantasy novel called Graceling that no one has ever heard of. I am not permitted to discuss Twilight books with anyone. Half my extended family (aunts, cousins, not the immediate one thank god) read the books and loved them to pieces. And co-workers loved it. (I don't understand the appeal frankly. And find the whole fact that such a poorly written book got published highly offensive. See? This is why I'm not allowed to discuss it.) Had a rather awkward experience with my Aunt and cousin during a funeral a few years back. Aunt - your cousin is watching the film Twilight for the second time - if you'd like to join her? Me = wincing. Aunt - okay, perhaps not. The polite thing would have been to go join her, watch Twilight, and resist the urge to wince or snark during it. But I know me.
Used to be religion and politics were the only emotional hot-buttons...but not any more. Even apartment hunting can be problematic as a topic. Life ain't safe...there's verbal landmines everywhere just waiting to be stepped on. The only topic that seems halfway safe any more may be the weather, but you have to make sure you keep it to just the weather and don't start comparing notes on which area of the planet is the best to live, or whether summer is better than winter - because ack, landmines!!! Is it any wonder that I come from work to relax in my cool flat sans people in happy relief?? Happy Hour?? Sounds like a nightmare. With Beer. (Actually tequila, since I can't do beer unless its gluten free and wine, well does not like me any more for some reason. Don't know what I did to piss it off, but it just decided one day, I don't like you and that was that.)
So, instead of rewriting it. Go here to read the article from the Metro on Rupert Murdoch scandal slowly making its way across the pond to the US. The skinny? CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Journalism) has requested that the US Congress investigate Murdoch's News Corp. to determine if they hacked into American politicians and private citizens emails. Also the US Department of Justice is considering using the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act to launch an investigation of allegations that News Corp. routinely paid police officers bribes for information - this according to The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia). And not to be outdone, Murdoch's stock took a dive on the NY Stock Exchange.
Hot stinky day. And I'm noticing an undercurrent of irritation throbbing through me, either caused by the weather (I'm admittedly a human weather vane) or hormones (annoying things hormones get me into all sorts of trouble be much happier without the bloody things, then again maybe not). Also, an observation? Is it just me or is life or rather all forms of human conversation thwart with emotional landmines? I can get into trouble for just voicing my opinions on movies and television writers and characters - doesn't matter where. Which may explain why I seldom discuss such things offline.
Heaven forbid I admit to liking a show like Buffy offline. Or *cough* Vamp Diaries (I did once and ran into a very uncomfortable discussion over the phone with the Risk Management Manager at work of how Bones and House were more intelligent and better written than Vamp Diaries - they aren't, I know I've watched all three, about the same actually). The Wire - is fairly safe. It's mainstream and critically acclaimed. Farscape? No one has heard of it , except people who loved it or people who made fun of it, sort of helps to know which group your about to run smack dab into before making a comment. True Blood? Need to be careful - fans are split into three groups, those who love the tv series and don't think it's a hilarious comedy, those who loved the books, and those who think it's a great parody/satire of the books and entire trope. In short? See Farscape. Doctor Who and/or Torchwood? See Farscape. Books? Same problem - if I were reading things like Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking or something contemporary literary - or non-fictional literary - like The Midmeasure of a Man, I'd be fine. But I'm reading a YA fantasy novel called Graceling that no one has ever heard of. I am not permitted to discuss Twilight books with anyone. Half my extended family (aunts, cousins, not the immediate one thank god) read the books and loved them to pieces. And co-workers loved it. (I don't understand the appeal frankly. And find the whole fact that such a poorly written book got published highly offensive. See? This is why I'm not allowed to discuss it.) Had a rather awkward experience with my Aunt and cousin during a funeral a few years back. Aunt - your cousin is watching the film Twilight for the second time - if you'd like to join her? Me = wincing. Aunt - okay, perhaps not. The polite thing would have been to go join her, watch Twilight, and resist the urge to wince or snark during it. But I know me.
Used to be religion and politics were the only emotional hot-buttons...but not any more. Even apartment hunting can be problematic as a topic. Life ain't safe...there's verbal landmines everywhere just waiting to be stepped on. The only topic that seems halfway safe any more may be the weather, but you have to make sure you keep it to just the weather and don't start comparing notes on which area of the planet is the best to live, or whether summer is better than winter - because ack, landmines!!! Is it any wonder that I come from work to relax in my cool flat sans people in happy relief?? Happy Hour?? Sounds like a nightmare. With Beer. (Actually tequila, since I can't do beer unless its gluten free and wine, well does not like me any more for some reason. Don't know what I did to piss it off, but it just decided one day, I don't like you and that was that.)
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Date: 2011-07-15 10:41 pm (UTC)Don't watch The Wire right now. I have to keep rewinding and finally gave up and put it on close-captioning. It's brilliant, but every piece of dialogue matters. David Simon and Ed Burns are genuiuses. By the way Generation Kill isn't David Simon - it's Ed Burns. I think David Simon died during the first season of Treme.
I'd suggest Game of Thrones - it's oddly enough lighter, but also quite violent and very wry wit. Plus...a lot characters to keep track of.
I don't want brainless TV per se -- but maybe something a little less taxing, maybe something a bit lighter. I'm not sure what. Maybe a comedy series. Lots of my f-list are big fans of Community, but I wasn't wowed by the first two episodes.
Community does get better, but like most sitcoms it is uneven. I agree with you, I was less than impressed by it. But I admittedly have a very dry sense of humor and find Community's sense of humor either cringe-worthy or silly most of the time. That said? The paint-ball episode are hilarious. I'll give it that - it has a nice sense of absurdist comedy. There's also a rather funny episode about hijacking a space shuttle which may amuse you.
Not sure if you've tried Big bang theory? It's also uneven, but often funnier than Community.
I think the only Situation Comedy series that weren't that uneven that I watched were pre-21st centurary - News Radio, Frasier, Cheers, Murphy Brown, Seinfeild, MASH. Post -90s is so...over-the-top, I can see the joke coming from a mile a way, also a prevalence of documentary style humor. But if you like documentary humor and haven't seen it already - try Arrested Development - it is sort of wry wit and the precursor to Modern Family (a lot better actually). Another possibility is a spin-off of Beavis and Butthead - Daria.
Or...Weeds? Although Weeds got on my nerves after the 3rd season.
I liked Femme Nikita and Covert Affairs - but they may be too light for you.
Vamp Diaries and True Blood too soap operaish. True blood has some good satire though - particularly S2. Vamp Diaries is hilarious but it's also very Dawson's Creek - think Scream meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Dawson's Creek.
Terriers is lighter and fun. So is The Walking Dead for that matter. And I loved Justified - if you like Westerns.
Sigh. I watch too much tv - it's my vice, well one of them at any rate. ;-)